Undergarment



Aug. 9, 1932. G. E. RUTLEDGE v l@ UNDERGARMEN T Filed Dec. 24, 1951 Patented ug.. 9, 1932 GEORGE E. RUTLEDGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO 'VASSAR SWISS UNDER- WEAR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION' 0F ILLINOIS UNDERGARIVIENT implication 4mea Deeember 24, 1931. seria1 No. 582,993.

This invention relates to undergarments and particularly to the so-called one-piece undergarments having drop seats.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an undergarment having a simplified drop seat construction which does not require the use of buttons or other fastening means, and which does not require the use of any tensioning members extending from the drop l0 seat. Again it is an object to provide such an undergarment which will not wrinkle and which will give a smooth, comfortable fit.

The invention concerns itself particularly with undergarments made of relatively elastic, stretchable, knitted material and has for an objectvthe provision of a simplified drop seat construction as set forth above, in an undergarment of this character. Various objects of the invention will become more readily apparent upon a detailed study of the accompanying specification and drawing, together with the appended claims.

In the drawing, which is merely illustrative of the invention as hereinafter defined in the claims; Fig. 1 is a rear view of an undergarment embodying the novel features of the present invention, the drop seat and its integrally knitted band of elastic material being in contracted, closed position; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the drop seat pulled down to some extent.

In the drawing there is shown an underarment having a body portion generally esignated at 2, a leg portion generally desig- '35 nated at 4, and a drop .seat generally designated at 6. The undergarment is of the socalled one-piece type. Its body portion 2 is formed of elastically knitted textile fiber yarn of any desired type such as wool, silk, cotton, rayon, or mixtures thereof, and is provided with an opening for the head, and the usual armholes. In accordance with usual practice, the opening for the head and the armhol'es are provided with rein forcing bands 8 which are sewed thereto at their peripheral edges. The leg portion 4 ofthe garment is also formed of elastically knitted textile fiber yarn as previously indicated in connect-ion With the body portion 2. The main portion of the drop seat 6 is formed of similar material and has at its upper edge an elastic band portion 10 of integrally knitted composite rubber yarn to be described more particularly hereinafter. The leg portion 4 is provided with leg bands 12 of knitted coma5 posite rubber yarn similar to the band 10.

The garment herein shown by way of illustration is preferably formed of a single front piece which forms the front of the body portion 2 and the front of the leg portion 4. To ec this front piece there is attached near its top a piece of material 14 which forms the back of the body portion and which has a lower extremity indicated by the dotted line 16. Another single piece of material 18 is attached to te the front piece at its lower portion and forms the rear of the leg portion 4 of the garment as well as its drop seat 6. The aforementioned single front piece, and the rear pieces 14 and 18 are secured together by suitable lines of im stitching. l

The rear piece 18 is secured to the front piece by lines of stitching-20 which extend all the way to the top of the drop seat 6. rIhat is to say, the side edges of the drop seat 6 are ,'35 sewed to the sides of the garment and are not free thereof as in the usual constructions.

The composite rubber yarn referred to above preferably consists of an elastic rubber or latex core or center having a covering oftextile fiber yarn. Preferably the composite yarn is formed of a latex rubber core having a first covering of textile fiber'yarnf helically wound in one direction and a superposed covering of textile fiber yarn helically 8b wound in opposed direction.

In the manufacture of the garment, the front piece is made, for instance, by first knitting the upper portion thereof. When sufficient courses of textile fiber yarn have @0 been run to produceall of this front piece with the exception of the front portions of leg bands 12, the textile fiber yarn from which the garment proper is made is thrown out and the composite rubber yarn is thrown in until the front portions of leg bands 12 are complete. The rear piece 14 does not have formed therewith any integral bands of composite rubber yarn and is therefore knitted from textile fiber yarn in any desired manner, pref- 300 erably in such a way as to produce a fabric having elastic properties. The rear piece 16 is made by knitting first, for instance, the elastioband portion 10 of drop seat 6. When suiiicient courses have been run to produce the desired Width of this band portion, the composite rubber yarn is'thrown out and the textile ber yarn from which the undergarment proper is to be made, is thrown in. The first course of this textile iiber yarn engages the loops of composite rubber yarn formed at the lower edge of the elastic band portion 10. The knitting operation is continued with the textile fiber yarn until the point is reached when it is desired to form the rears of the elastic leg band portions 12 whereupon the textile fiber yarn is thrown out and the composite rubber yarn thrown in. When the pieces are sewed together, a crotch piece 22 of the usual knitted textile fiber yarn is included.

While the band portion 10 and the leg bands 12 have been described as made from knitted composite elastic rubber yarn, it is often desirable to incorporate with such yarn a plating yarn in order to get various color effects. If desired the plating yarn may be arranged to hide the composite rubber yarn completely or form designs with it. The plating yarn may be of any desired textile fiber. with the composite rubber body yarn may result in a tendency to reduce somewhat the elasticity of the band being formed in the direction of the wales but this may be overcome in the knitting operation by the use of suitable friction or tensioning means applied to the rubber body yarn to cause the stitches made of this yarn to be drawn more tightly than the stitches made of the plating yarn. Thus, the plating yarn stitches are relatively looser than the body yarn stitches so that the elasticity of the band in the direction of the wales is not impaired by the incorporation of a relatively inelastic plating yarn.

The band portion 10 is very resilient and serves to `hold the drop seat in the position shown in Fig. 1. Due to the elasticity of this band portion and also to the elasticity of the material of the undergarment proper, it is possible to readily expand the garment so as to allow the drop seat 6 tobe pulled down. The construction shown eliminates the use of all buttons or other fastening means and furthermore eliminates the use of any tensioning members running from the drop seat to other portions of the garment. The construction is at once simple and provides a neat. smooth appearance. The undergarment is characterized by an absence of wrinkles and overlapping portions such as would cause discomfort to the wearer.

Claims:

1. An undergarment comprising a body The incorporation ot the plating yarn portion of knitted textile fiber yarn, a leg portion also formed of knitted fiber yarn, a drop seat formed with said leg portion and having its side edges sewed to the sides of the undergarment substantially throughout their extent, said drop seat having a main portion formed of knitted textile fiber yarn and an integrally knitted upper edge portion formed of composite rubber yarn.

2. An undergarment comprising a body portion, a leg portion, and a drop seat formed with the leg portion and having its side edges secured to the sides of the undergarment substantially throughout their extent, said drop seat having an elastic main portion of textile fibre yarn and an integrally formed band portion of rubber yarn, said band portion being formed at the upper edge of the main portion and being relatively more elastic than the same.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of December, 1931.

GEORGE E. RUTLEDGE. 

